The present invention relates to a printed recording paper processing apparatus suitable for use in combination with a recording apparatus, such as a copying machine.
In preparing materials for a conference or pamphlets for distribution by collecting printed recording papers produced by a recording apparatus, such as a copying machine, the printed recording papers must be collected, collated, folded, punched and/or bound. Sorters for sorting copies, automatic punching machines, automatic folding machines, automatic collators and paper processing machines integrally having the functions of those single-purpose paper processing machines have been proposed, for example, in Japanese Patent Laid-open (Kokai) Nos. 61-94180 and 61-84662, and Denshi Shashin Gakkai-shi, Vol. 24, No. 3, pp. 188-194 (1985) to improve the total efficiency of copying work including the foregoing paper processing operations by automating those paper processing operations.
In most cases, a set of printed recording papers are bound together with staples or filed for use and storage. However, there has not been proposed any paper processing machine capable of simultaneously punching and binding printed recording papers.
The inventors of the present invention proposed a printed recording paper processing apparatus in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 62-12201. This printed recording paper processing apparatus proposed previously by the inventors of the present invention comprises: an intermediate storage unit for storing a set of printed recording papers delivered sequentially thereto one at a time in a pile in the order of delivery; a processing unit for selectively punching or binding the set of printed recording papers at the place of storage; a storage unit for storing the processed set of printed recording papers; first conveying means for conveying printed recording papers to the intermediate storage unit; and second conveying means for conveying the processes set of printed recording papers to the storage unit. The use of this printed recording paper processing apparatus in combination with a recording apparatus, such as an electrophotographic copying machine, enables automatic punching or automatic binding of a set of printed recording papers produced by the recording apparatus facilitating the preparation of materials for conferences and the making of pamphlets for distribution.
In punching a set of printed recording papers by a motor-driven punching machine incorporated into such a printed recording paper processing apparatus, a considerably large force must be applied to the punching pins and the force increases with the number of printed recording papers. Accordingly, the punching machine must be provided with a motor having a large capacity.
To enable punching a comparatively thick pile of printed recording papers by a punching machine equipped with a driving motor having a comparatively small capacity, the inventors of the present invention proposed a printed recording paper processing apparatus capable of automatic punching and binding in Japanese Patent Laid-open (Kokai) No. 62-131608. The punching pins of a punching machine incorporated into this printed recording paper processing apparatus are driven sequentially in different phases for punching operation. This printed recording paper processing apparatus, however, has a problem that the backside of the die is jammed with punched scraps to increase load on the punching machine excessively causing the punching machine to malfunction.